10 Fun Facts About the Liberty Square Riverboat

As we prepare for the changes coming to the rugged landscape of Frontierland, let’s take a look at the Rivers of America, and a classic attraction that hearkens back to the days of Mark Twain, the Liberty Square Riverboat.

1. One of Walt’s Earliest Attraction Concepts

Even though it wasn’t an opening day attraction, the origins of the riverboat go all the way back to Disneyland…and beyond. When Walt Disney first conceived of a park to be built near the Disney Studio in Burbank, California, one of the attractions he had in mind was a “Mississippi Steamboat.” The idea of a family park soon grew into Disneyland, complete with the working riverboat, which was renamed the Mark Twain Steamboat.

2. The Mark Twain Steamboat

The Mark Twain Steamboat was unique at the time, as it was the first fully-functional paddlewheel boat built in fifty years. In order to faithfully recreate all the details of the famed ships of yore, the WED designers studied the steam powered ships of the past so that they could accurately replicate the functionality and ornamentation of the old-style riverboats. The ship itself was assembled in two locations. The decks were manufactured at the nearby Disney Studios at Burbank, while the 105-foot hull was constructed in San Pedro, California. The project was supervised by former navy admiral Joe Fowler, and on his insistence a dry-dock was built alongside the site of what was to become the Rivers of America. The project briefly ran into some financial trouble, but was saved when Walt Disney himself stepped in to fund the rest of the construction out of his own pocket. The Mark Twain Steamboat set off on her maiden voyage on July 13, 1955, four days before the park officially opened. The occasion was a private party celebrating the 30th wedding anniversary of Walt and Lillian.

3. Magic Kingdom Riverboats

When plans were being put together for what would become Walt Disney World, the inclusion of a riverboat was only natural, right down to the idea of recreating the Rivers of America in Florida. When the Magic Kingdom opened, the riverboat was named the Admiral Joe Fowler in honor of the man who oversaw the construction of the original attraction. A second boat, the Richard F. Irvine (named for Richard Irvine, a senior figure at Walt Disney Imagineering who was instrumental in the design of many Disneyland attractions) set sail on May 20, 1973. Though largely identical, the two ships differed in one major respect; the Admiral Joe Fowler had two smokestacks, while the Richard F. Irvine only had one. The two ships continued to ply the waters of the Rivers of America until the fall of 1980, when the Admiral Joe Fowler was retired, having been damaged when being moved into drydock. The riverboat was subsequently dismantled, although its bell was reused on the Walt Disney World Railroad, specifically the No. 4 train known as the Roy O. Disney.

4. A New Name

In 1996, the Richard F. Irvine was renamed the Liberty Belle to better tie in to nearby Liberty Square. In addition to the new name, the boat itself was heavily renovated. A new super-structure was manufactured from aluminum and vinyl, with the hull, boiler, and engines being the only original components to be retained during the refurbishment. (In 1999, one of the ferries that transports Guests across Seven Seas Lagoon was renamed the Richard F. Irvine in his honor.)

5. The Burning Cabin

Prior to 2005, Guests could see a burning cabin at this location on the river. Early versions of the scene included an unlucky setter who had fallen victim to an Indian attack. Over time the narration was changed to alter the fate of the unfortunate settler, instead telling Guests that the frontiersman was simply sleeping, having drunk too much moonshine. In 2005 the entire scene was removed, due to corrosion in the pipes that created the fire. Today Guests simply see a deserted cabin.

6. Tell City

You may spot some crates on the banks of Frontierland marked “Tell City Tool Co.” Tell City is an actual town on the Ohio River in Indiana, and was one of the country’s first “planned cities.” During Tell City’s early years, the steamship was the only mode of transportation available.

7. Hidden Secrets

Another crate on the Frontierland side of the river says “71,” a reference to the year that Walt Disney World opened.

8. Crockett’s Sidekick

See if you can spot another crate marked “Russel’s Falls.” This is a reference to Davy Crockett’s sidekick, George E. Russel.

9. Did You See That Dog?

If you looked closely, you might have been able to spot an Audio-Animatronic dog near Beaker Joe’s, who turned his head as a fish jumped by.

10. Sam Clemens

During your journey, you’ll hear several clever sayings spoken by Sam Clemens. Though these nuggets of wisdom weren’t actually penned by Mark Twain, they humorously reflect the famous writer’s unique sense of humor. Some of the phrases include:
“It seems to me that when I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. But as I grow older I seem to remember only the things that never happened at all,”
“Believe me when I tell you, truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I make sure I only use it with economy,” and
“My feeling is these days there’s a lot less frontier and a lot more civilization than is
truly necessarily.”

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